Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Paintings Cleaned? and Delivered to Temporary Housing

Temporary excitement! The painting cleaner/restorers delivered 6 of my 50 or so paintings that needed to be cleaned after the fire. Insurance paid to have them removed from the frames, vacuumed and wiped. A few days after the fire I was told the paintings must go to these restorers in Newton, even though I said surely I can clean them myself. We waited and waited for the pick up, insurance payout and cleaning. I was so excited to get some of them yesterday. Last night Joe and I nailed them up only to have our fingers marked with soot or residue from the smoke. Not what we expected.

Joe and I put Miles to Go Before I Sleep with myself surrounded by favorite artists, painted in their own styles, over the dining room table in our temporary housing. Several tables in the dining room now, with plenty of company! We draped Bounce sheets on the hanging wire, not to cover the hint of smoke smell, but maybe to neutralize the odor somehow. Seems to work a bit. The company said they can't ozone the paintings because it lightens the colors. I might risk it. They didn't feel they could remove canvas. Huh? The company volunteered to try again, but I want my paintings now! Maybe the next paintings will be cleaned better.

The next painting was Linda and the Painting Teachers, installed over my new little Yamaha with real piano key touch. Note the earphones so no one in our temporary apartments has to listen to me play the piano. I work from a salvaged book of son Bill's classical pieces brought to my level of expertise: Classics to Contemporaries, early grade piano pieces selected and compiled by Marie Hill. I ordered Reader's Digest's books of songs arranged and edited by Dan Fox. Dan Fox is the name to remember. His arrangements of popular and beloved songs are wonderful and manageable. The piano is so relaxing.

Finding more soot was not a thrill. A simple swipe along the edge of the painting to the frame seemed so easy to accomplish at minimum?...a wipe with white cloth over the painting gave a brown cast to cloth. What to do. And they recommended varnishing my paintings...over this? Maybe to cut the action? Smoke is damaging. Much to learn. Google!
I will see what I can find out at the museum.

17 comments:

The restoration or lack thereof...so annoying. You'd think that the restoration 'experts?' would be wiping and wiping. How hard could that be? You are right to hope the next batch will be more expertly finished. The paintings shown do look so right where you displayed them.

Linda, it seems to me that you've been "had"! If those paintings had supposedly been cleaned, but yet you could still wipe off soot....it seems obvious to me that this company did NOT really clean them! You and the insurance company have been had! I'd keep the cloths used to wipe off the soot and show them to the company that supposedly cleaned them. That is simply criminal, in my book! Even so, I was so happy to see the paintings in their new but temporary home!

Oh, rats! I commented, clicked "publish" and it didn't. So glad you have the paintings again- suggest you get the company to give you cloths since they didn't finish the job and that you carefully try it yourself. Sherron S.

About Me

Blogging is fun. It stimulates productivity. I draw, stitch and create with paint, fabric, wax and paper. I like to keep up with friends, share my discoveries and maintain records and memories by posting in this blog. I also enjoy making books and movies that Macs simplify. You can view all the posts for several years here or see my paintings and quilts at my website: http://Lindahicksweb.com/